TW202316756A - Device for energy and/or signal transmission and rail vehicle comprising such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (4) for energy and/or signal transmission between a busbar (2) and a rail vehicle that is movable relative thereto, comprising a roller (40) of a current-conducting material, wherein the roller (40) is rotatably mounted about an axis (42), and wherein a rolling bearing (44) is arranged between the roller (40) and the axis (42) and an energy and/or signal transmission is carried out by means of the rolling bodies (444) of the rolling bearing (44). The invention further relates to a rail vehicle comprising such a device (4).

Description

Devices for the transmission of energy and/or signals and rail vehicles incorporating such devices

The invention relates to a device for transmitting energy and/or signals between a contact rail and a rail vehicle movable relative to the contact rail, as well as a rail vehicle comprising such a device.

EP 0 618 123 A1 discloses a rail vehicle with rollers and a DC motor arranged on the rail vehicle, wherein the rollers can be driven by the DC motor. Here, the motor is connected to current collectors in the form of brushes, which are slidingly connected to contact rails on the track. As an alternative, DE 195 06 670 A1 proposes to provide a roller made of electrically conductive material on the rail vehicle to transmit current to the rail vehicle, wherein the roller is held rotatably in two bearing tongues ( Lagerzunge).

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for transmitting energy and/or signals between a contact rail and a rail vehicle movable relative to the contact rail, which is easy to maintain and is not prone to wear. Another object of the invention is to provide a rail vehicle with such a device.

These objects are achieved by a device having the features of claim 1 and a rail vehicle having the features of claim 9 .

According to a first aspect, there is provided a device for transmitting energy and/or signals between a contact rail and a rail vehicle movable relative to the contact rail, the device comprising a roller, wherein the roller is mounted rotatable about an axis. The device includes a rolling bearing arranged between the roller and the shaft, wherein the roller is made of conductive material, and the energy transmission and/or signal transmission is realized through the rolling body of the rolling bearing.

In contrast to the device disclosed in DE 195 06 670 A1, the transmission of energy and/or signals takes place not via sliding contact, but via rolling contact on rolling elements.

A person with ordinary knowledge in the relevant field can properly select the design of the rolling bearing according to the application situation. In one embodiment, the rolling bearing is designed as a ball bearing. In other technical solutions cylindrical roller bearings are provided. In one technical solution, the rolling bearing is of a single-row design, in the other technical solution a multi-row rolling bearing is provided.

In an advantageous embodiment, the rolling bearing has a bearing ring, in particular an outer ring connected to the roller and an inner ring connected to the shaft. In other solutions, rollers and/or shafts are used as bearing rings. In an advantageous embodiment, the shaft has a rotationally symmetrical cross section. In one technical solution, the rolling bearing comprises an inner ring connected to a shaft, wherein the core of the inner ring and the shaft have mutually complementary, rotationally symmetric or non-rotationally symmetric cross-sections. In another technical solution, the rolling bearing comprises an inner ring, wherein the core of the inner ring and the shaft have cross-sections that are not complementary to each other, such as cross-sections of different diameters, and an intermediate element acting as an adapter is arranged between the inner ring and the shaft, Especially bushings.

The rollers are made of conductive material. A person with ordinary knowledge in the related art can properly select the conductive material according to the application. In a technical solution of the device, the conductive material is selected from the group comprising: copper and copper alloys, sintered metal with or without additives, stainless steel, silver and/or coated plastic with or without additives.

The arrangement includes a suspension for the axle, the suspension having an axle seat.

In one embodiment, the shaft is likewise made of electrically conductive material, wherein wires for energy and/or signal transmission are mounted on the shaft. In one technical solution, the wire is welded, soldered, glued and/or crimped to the shaft. In other solutions a detachable connection is provided. In other technical solutions, the shaft is made of non-conductive material, wherein the wires are mounted on the inner ring of the rolling bearing connected to the shaft and/or on an intermediate element electrically connected to the inner ring of the rolling bearing, the intermediate element being in particular is a bush arranged between the bearing ring and the shaft.

In one technical solution, the wire is embedded in the axle seat of the suspension of the axle. In one embodiment, a shaft seat made of a non-conductive material is provided, wherein in one embodiment, an unsheathed or non-encapsulated wire is provided. In one embodiment, an end point for the current collector is provided on the outside of the axle seat.

In one technical solution, the suspension comprises a force element, in particular a spring element, which acts on the axle seat and exerts a forcing force on the axle seat in the direction of the free end. Wherein, the free end of the shaft seat refers to the end pointing to the mating component during use. Therefore, the force element can force the roller to approach the counter element for the roller to roll during use. This prevents the roller from coming off the mating element and/or the loss of contact between the rolling elements and the bearing ring, or in the case of rollers or the shaft as a bearing ring, the loss of contact between the rolling elements and the roller and the shaft. Thus, the pretension force exerted by the force element on the device during use prevents interruption of energy and/or signal transmission due to short-term loss of contact.

Terms such as "a", "an" and "one of" are only used as indefinite articles in this application, not as numerals. In particular, in one solution, the suspension comprises more than one force element.

In one embodiment, as an alternative or in addition, an electrically conductive medium, in particular copper paste, is provided in the rolling bearing. Sparks in rolling bearings due to short-term loss of contact are prevented by means of a conductive medium.

In yet another technical solution, a radially offset rolling bearing is provided between the shaft and the roller. Among them, choose the radial offset that can prevent the loss of contact between the rolling elements and the bearing ring during use.

In one configuration, the rolling bearing has a seal made of a non-conductive material in the axial direction.

According to a second aspect, a rail vehicle is provided, comprising a device for transmitting energy and/or signals, the device having a roller made of electrically conductive material, a shaft and a rolling bearing arranged between the roller and the shaft, wherein the roller is The rolling bearing is installed to be rotatable around the shaft, and the energy transmission and/or signal transmission are realized through the rolling elements of the rolling bearing. During use, the rollers roll, for example, on contact rails provided on rails for rail vehicles.

As mentioned above, terms such as "a", "an", and "one" are only used as indefinite articles in this application, not as numerals. In particular, in one technical solution, the rail vehicle has two devices for transmitting energy, which devices can be connected to two of the power sources. In another embodiment, the device is used for signal transmission, wherein only one device is provided on the rail vehicle. In some other technical solutions, the devices are arranged in pairs to realize uninterrupted energy transmission or signal transmission.

In one technical solution, the rail vehicle is an unmanned rail vehicle.

1 shows a schematic top view of a system 1 comprising a fixed element 2 and an element 3 movable relative to the fixed element, the element having four Of the four devices 4 in FIG. 1 , only two are partially or completely covered and therefore not visible. FIG. 2 schematically shows a partial sectional view of a part of the system 1 according to FIG. 1 .

The illustrated stationary element 2 is a contact rail, relative to which the movable element 3 is a rail vehicle, which is movable—as indicated by the double-headed arrow—in the longitudinal direction of the contact rail. In order to make the rail vehicle move along the contact rail, there are rollers not shown in the figure.

The means 4 for transmitting energy to the movable element 3 are each arranged in pairs, wherein each two means 4 arranged offset in the direction of movement of the movable element 3 are connected to a pole 51 , 52 of the connecting socket 5 . Devices 4 are used to transfer energy between a fixed element 2 designed as a busbar and a connection socket 5 on a second element 3 movable relative to the busbar and designed as a rail vehicle, wherein the arrangement in pairs ensures that Energy can be transmitted uninterruptedly to the poles 51 , 52 of the connecting socket 5 when turning and/or at a switch of a rail vehicle. In other technical solutions, only two devices 4 are provided for energy transmission, whereby a pair arrangement is omitted.

These devices 4 respectively comprise a roller 40 made of conductive material, a shaft 42, and a rolling bearing 44 (see FIG. 2 ) arranged between the roller 40 and the shaft 42, wherein the roller 40 is mounted around the shaft 42 by the rolling bearing 44. Rotation, and energy transmission and/or signal transmission from the fixed element 2 to the movable element 3 is realized through the rolling element 444 of the rolling bearing 44 .

The illustrated rolling bearing 44 includes a bearing ring 440 connected to the roller 40 , also known as an outer ring, and a bearing ring 442 connected to the shaft 42 , also known as an inner ring. In the illustrated embodiment, a bushing 43 is provided between the shaft 42 and the bearing ring 442 . In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter of the shaft 42 is smaller than the inner diameter of the bearing ring 442 , wherein the bushing 43 acts as an adapter between the bearing ring 442 and the shaft 42 . In other technical solutions, the inner diameter of the bearing ring 442 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the shaft 42 , so that the bushing 43 can be omitted.

The rolling bodies 444 are arranged between the bearing rings 440 , 442 . In the illustrated embodiment, the schematically illustrated rolling bodies 444 are designed as balls. Other rolling elements are provided in other technical proposals.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in the exemplary embodiment shown, the rolling bearings 44 each have a seal 446 made of a non-conductive material on their end faces.

The device 4 further comprises a suspension 46 by means of which the shaft 42 is supported on the housing 30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the suspension includes an axle seat 460 movably arranged on the guide rod 32 fixedly connected to the housing 30 (see FIG. 2 ). Wherein, the guide rod 32 extends transversely, especially vertically, to the moving direction of the movable element 3, therefore, the shaft seat 460 with the shaft 42 and the roller 40 mounted on the shaft 42 can be transversely, especially perpendicularly, to the movable direction. The direction of movement of the element 3 is adjusted accordingly. In the illustrated embodiment, the maximum adjustment distance is limited by stops 300 , 302 on the housing 30 .

The illustrated suspension 46 further comprises a force element acting on the axle seat 460, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a spring element 462, wherein the axle seat 460 is forced in the direction of its free end by the spring element 462. effect. In this way, the shaft seat 460 and the roller 40 are forced to be close to the fixed component 2 during use, so as to prevent the loss of contact between the roller 40 and the fixed component 2 , thereby preventing interruption of energy and/or signal transmission due to a short-term loss of contact.

As shown schematically in Figure 1, the shaft seats 460 of the two devices 4 connected to one pole 51 are in two maximum positions, wherein the shaft seats 460 shown on the left side of Figure 1 are arranged in a first maximum position, in which Above, the shaft seat 460 overcomes the reset force of the spring element 462 and moves toward the housing 30 , thereby moving away from the fixed element 2 . The axle seat 460 shown on the right in FIG. 1 is arranged in a second maximum position, in which the return force of the spring element 462 forces the axle seat 460 away from the housing 30 and thus closer to the stationary element 2 . In order to illustrate the problem more clearly, the distance between the fixed element 2 and the element 3 that is movable relative to the fixed element is exaggerated in the figure. In the technical solution of the system 1 , the distance is chosen in such a way that the axle seat 460 is between the first and the second maximum position when the roller 40 contacts the stationary element 2 .

As previously mentioned, in the illustrated embodiment the devices 4 are arranged in pairs, wherein each two devices 4 are connected to one pole 51 , 52 of the connection socket 5 . The shaft seat 460 is made of non-conductive insulating material. The devices 4 each comprise a wire 48 for connecting the poles 51 , 52 , which wires are embedded in a shaft seat 460 . The wire 48 is electrically and mechanically connected to the shaft 42 . A wire connecting piece 50 leading to the poles 51 , 52 is provided on the outside of the shaft seat 460 .

1: system 2: Fixed components, contact rails 3: Movable element, second element, rail vehicle 4: (used to transmit energy or signal) device 5: Connect the socket 30: shell 32: guide rod 40:Roller 42: axis 43: Bushing 44: Rolling bearings 46: Suspension 48: wire 50: wire connector 51: Pole 52: Pole 300: stop 302: stop 440: bearing ring 442: bearing ring 444: rolling element 446: seal 460: shaft seat 462: spring element

Further advantages and aspects of the present invention can be obtained from the claims and the description of the embodiments of the present invention, which will be described below with reference to the drawings. in: Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a system comprising a fixed element and an element movable relative to the fixed element, the element having four means for transmitting energy or signals, and FIG. 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the system according to FIG. 1 .

1: system

3: Movable element, second element, rail vehicle

4: (used to transmit energy or signal) device

30: shell

32: guide rod

40:Roller

42: axis

43: Bushing

44: Rolling bearings

46: Suspension

300: stop

440: bearing ring

442: bearing ring

444: rolling element

460: shaft seat

462: spring element

Claims (9)

A device for transmitting energy and/or signals between a contact rail (2) and a rail vehicle (3) movable relative to the contact rail, the device comprising rollers (40), wherein the rollers (40) are mounted as Can rotate around a shaft (42), wherein the roller (40) is made of conductive material, wherein a rolling bearing (44) is provided between the roller (40) and the shaft (42), and, through the rolling bearing (44) The rolling elements (444) realize energy transmission and/or signal transmission. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a suspension (46) is provided with a shaft seat (460) for the shaft (42). The device according to claim 2, characterized in that, on the shaft (42), on the inner ring of the rolling bearing (44) connected to the shaft (42) or electrically connected to the inner ring of the rolling bearing (44) A wire (48) for energy transmission and/or signal transmission is mounted on the intermediate element, wherein the wire is embedded in the shaft seat (460). The device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the suspension (46) includes a force element acting on the axle seat (460) and exerting a force on the axle seat (460) in the direction of the free end, especially a spring Elements (462). The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the roller (40) is made of a conductive material selected from the group comprising: copper and copper alloys, containing or not Sintered metals with additives, stainless steel, silver and/or coated plastics with or without additives. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a conductive medium, especially copper paste, is provided in the rolling bearing. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that radially offset rolling bearings are provided. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the rolling bearing (44) has a seal (446) made of a non-conductive material in the axial direction. A rail vehicle comprising a device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 for transmitting energy and/or signals between the rail vehicle and a contact rail.

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